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Flavorful Brown Sugar Smoked Ribs Recipe Easy Sticky Sweet Glaze Guide

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This recipe delivers juicy, tender smoked ribs with a perfect balance of brown sugar sweetness and smoky char, finished with a sticky sweet glaze that creates an irresistible crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 racks pork spare ribs or baby back ribs (4–5 pounds / 1.8–2.3 kg)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (about 200g), dark brown sugar preferred
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (60 ml)
  • 1/3 cup honey (80 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mustard (Dijon or yellow)

Instructions

  1. Remove the thin membrane from the back of the ribs if not already removed. Pat ribs dry with paper towels.
  2. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and chili powder to make the dry rub.
  3. Generously coat both sides of the ribs with the dry rub, pressing it into the meat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
  4. Preheat smoker or grill to 225°F (107°C). Use apple wood or hickory wood chips for smoke flavor. Set grill for indirect heat if using.
  5. Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker and smoke gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, maintaining temperature and adding wood chips as needed.
  6. While ribs smoke, whisk together apple cider vinegar, honey, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard to make the glaze.
  7. After initial smoke, wrap ribs tightly in aluminum foil and return to smoker for 30 minutes to lock in moisture.
  8. Remove foil, brush ribs generously with the sticky sweet glaze, then place back on smoker for 20-30 minutes unwrapped to caramelize the glaze. Watch closely to avoid burning.
  9. Let ribs rest for 10 minutes before slicing between the bones to retain juices.

Notes

Keep a spray bottle with apple cider vinegar handy to spritz ribs occasionally to keep them moist. Wrap ribs in foil halfway through cooking to lock in moisture and tenderness. Glaze twice near the end for a thicker sticky crust. Rest ribs before slicing to retain juices. Oven method: bake at 275°F (135°C) for about 3 hours and broil to caramelize glaze if no smoker is available.

Nutrition

Keywords: smoked ribs, brown sugar ribs, sticky sweet glaze, BBQ ribs, easy ribs recipe, smoked pork ribs, backyard barbecue

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